Since the announcement of the approval of the MSRCNY and IMSMP clinical trial of neural progenitor stem cells in the treatment of MS by the International Cellular Medicine Society, patient interest in information and potential participation in the trial has been considerable. Over 400 patients have received informational brochures and many more have contacted the Stem Cell Research team with inquiries -- a far greater number than the 20 study subjects in the initially approved protocol.
As of writing, the first six study subjects have been selected and shortlisted to begin stem cell treatment, in the hope and expectation that funding for the trial is imminent. All the selected subjects have previously been patients of IMSMP and we expect that no study subjects will be recruited from outside the IMSMP patient population presently or in possible future expansions of the study.
Copies of the study brochure and informed consent form (the latter outlining risks associated with participation) remain available to any interested patients, although receipt of these materials does not guarantee participation in the trial. For further information please contact the study coordinators, Deirdre Dulak and Daniel Koffler at (646) 557-3860 and (646) 557-3852, respectively.
A critical step in the launch of this landmark clinical trial is to obtain sufficient funding. As this study is a phase 1 safety and tolerability trial – in fact the first ever trial of neural progenitor stem cells -- with no precedents for treatment outcomes, study subjects will not be billed for their treatments. Funds are in the process of being acquired from a variety of philanthropic and commercial sources as well as private donations, and those interested in making a contribution to advance stem cell research for MS treatment are encouraged to do so (though such contributions will have no effect on participation in the study).